Soil disturbed at construction sites may runoff into natural water bodies, such as streams, lakes, and estuaries, or onto roads. The environmental impacts of sediment-laden water entering wetlands, streams, or waters of the United States may be significant: failed re-vegetation efforts post-construction, degradation of aquatic habitats natural to the construction sites, or sediment clogs of storm sewers. Reducing the environmental impacts of the disturbed soil may necessarily require control of this sediment-laden runoff. Accordingly, a construction plan may comprise approaches to maintain soil original to a construction site at the construction site.
Silt fence may function to keep soil local to a construction site during construction activities. Silt fence installed at a construction site may generally comprise at least one silt fence section, which may comprise end posts and porous fabric stretched between the end posts. As sediment-laden runoff flows from the construction site to appropriately placed silt fence, the porous fabric may limit the transport of eroded or disturbed soil from the construction site. Specifically, the silt fence may slow the flow of sediment-laden runoff water and separate the runoff components. The sediment may drop out and settle at the silt fence and water may flow through the silt fence. The silt fence may form a pond boundary as the dropped sediment forms a sediment pond of local soil. Accordingly, silt fence may separate construction site runoff into water and sediment, and may help form a boundary for a sediment pond at the construction site.
As described herein above, silt fence installed at a construction site may comprise porous fabric. Characteristics of the porous fabric, such as permeability, or permittivity, may support separating construction site runoff into sediment and water. However, holes, rips, ultra violet degradation, or other damage to the porous fabric may impact silt fence integrity. If the installed silt fence is unable to separate runoff components, at the very least, adjacent storm drains may clog. If the installed silt fence is unable to create a sediment pond, at the very least, receiving waters may suffer. Accordingly, construction plans may comprise approaches to maintain silt fence integrity.